Upper arms

Skull Crusher

Lying on a bench, you lower the bar toward your forehead by bending only your elbows: a classic for building big triceps.

Also known as: lying triceps extension, EZ-bar skull crusher, French press

Level: Intermediate
Equipment: Barbell
Type: Isolation

Movement

Muscles worked

Skull Crusher muscle map: triceps highlighted on the front and back of the body

PrimaryTriceps
Triceps exercises

How to do it

Lie on a bench with an EZ bar held over your chest, arms straight.
Tilt your arms back slightly toward your head.
Bend your elbows to lower the bar toward your forehead or just behind your head.
Extend your arms back to the start without moving your elbows.

Form cues

Elbows point at the ceiling and don't flare.
Lowering behind your head increases the stretch.
Use a spotter or light weight; the bar passes near your face.

Common mistakes

Flaring your elbows: the triceps do less and your elbows suffer.
Turning it into a press by bringing the bar to your chest: your elbows must stay up.
Going too heavy: it's easy to lose control near your face.

Sets and reps

3 sets of 8-12 reps with 90 seconds of rest.

Variations

Same movement, different equipment. Pick based on what you have and what you want from skull crushers.

Dumbbell skull crusher
Palms facing: easier on wrists and elbows.
Dumbbell · Intermediate
How to do it
1. Lie on a flat bench holding dumbbells over your chest.
2. Lower the dumbbells toward the sides of your head.
3. Extend your arms back up.
Primary
Triceps
Kettlebell skull crusher
A kettlebell held by the horns.
Kettlebell · Intermediate
How to do it
1. Lie on a flat bench holding a kettlebell by the horns with both hands, arms extended above the chest.
2. Bend only the elbows to lower the bell toward the forehead in a controlled arc.
3. Keep the upper arms vertical; only the forearms move.
4. Extend the elbows to press the bell back up.
Primary
Triceps

Alternatives

Other exercises from the Nuvana library for the same muscle.

FAQ

Why is it called a skull crusher?

Because the bar lowers toward your forehead. With controlled weight it's perfectly safe.

EZ bar or straight bar?

The EZ bar is easier on the wrists and is the most common choice.

Is it hard on the elbows?

It can be if you lower too fast or too heavy. Warm up well and lower slowly.

What muscles do skull crushers work?

They mainly work the triceps.

Train with Nuvana

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